WBC Power Rankings: Dominican Republic, USA poised to dominate
The World Baseball Classic is rapidly approaching, and with rosters set, the tournament should provide baseball fans with some excitement ahead of the 2017 season.
Can the Dominican Republic win back-to-back titles? Will the powerful USA team be too big of a challenge for its opponents? Or will a Cinderella team like the Netherlands or Mexico shock the world?
Below, theScore takes a look at how the teams stack up against each other in our pre-tournament WBC Power Rankings:
1. United States
Team USA enters the WBC with an abundance of MLB stars, including Nolan Arenado, Giancarlo Stanton, Daniel Murphy, Chris Archer, and Andrew Miller. This is the most competitive team the Americans have sent to the classic, and anything short of a championship will be a disappointment.
2. Dominican Republic
The former champs look pretty darn good on paper, with a ton of immensely talented position players led by Manny Machado and Robinson Cano. Its biggest competition seems to be the U.S., as the Dominicans will rely heavily on starters Johnny Cueto and Carlos Martinez.
3. Puerto Rico
Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa - two of baseball's emerging stars at shortstop - are simply too good to ignore, even if their surrounding group isn't as powerful as that of other teams. Javier Baez will be there this time after a World Series championship, and up-and-coming closer Edwin Diaz should provide the team with a powerful relief option late in games.
4. Japan
The story out of Team Japan's roster was less about how much talent it has and more about the players that will miss the tournament. Japanese star and multi-positional standout Shohei Otani's ankle injury is a huge loss, as is the absence of Yu Darvish and Masahiro Tanaka. Still, this team is always a threat after winning the tournament in 2006 and 2009.
5. Venezuela
Venezuela's offensive prowess alone has it in the top five, but the big question is whether its pitching will hold up. Jose Altuve, Miguel Cabrera, and Victor Martinez will be relied on, and the team is hopeful right-hander Felix Hernandez provides consistency.
6. Netherlands
Widely viewed as one of the tournament's dark horses, the Netherlands has the potential to surprise a lot of people. Xander Bogaerts, Kenley Jansen, Didi Gregorius, and Andrelton Simmons form an intriguing group, and one with tremendous ability on defense. They shocked everyone with a fourth-place finish in 2013.
7. Korea
The lone player from MLB on South Korea is Seung Hwan Oh, but that doesn't mean they aren't a threat. The 28-man roster features elite offensive players from the Korean Baseball Organization, particularly Hyun-Wook Choi and Tae-Gyun Kim. Playing the first and second round at home also shouldn't hurt the club's chances.
8. Mexico
Mexico has some notable players on its roster, particularly Adrian Gonzalez, Khris Davis, and reliever Sergio Romo. Left-hander Julio Urias is the real wild card, however, as his talent on the mound is unprecedented, but he's listed in the designated pitchers pool and isn't a guarantee to play. If he pitches, Mexico will move up the list.
9. Cuba
Cuba remains relatively unknown in North America, as the 28-man roster doesn't include any players from the majors. While it lacks household names, this young club could surprise with Yoelkis Cespedes - the younger brother of Yoenis - and Alfredo Despaigne leading the offense.
10. Colombia
Much like the Netherlands, Colombia has sleeper written all over it. The roster isn't as complete as that of other teams, but it does boast two talented starters in Jose Quintana and Julio Teheran, who could steal a game. This is the first time Colombia will appear in the WBC.
11. Canada
Canada doesn't enter the tournament oozing with talent, but Freddie Freeman, one of the best first basemen in baseball, will represent the country to honor his late Canadian mother. Well-known veterans Eric Gagne and Ryan Dempster will provide the Canucks with a blast from the past, but don't expect much from the club.
12. Chinese Taipei
Chien Ming Wang is the only player on the roster with major-league experience. A strike within the country resulted in several top teams not being allowed to send over players, limiting the talent pool.
13. Italy
The Italian side has a number of Italian-Americans representing the club, but don't expect them to make a surprise run like last tournament. They beat both Canada and Mexico to advance to the second round in 2013, but with names like Francisco Cervelli, Chris Colabello, and Daniel Descalso among the most prominent, they likely won't escape Pool D.
14. Israel
Team Israel actually boasts some notable names, including slugging first baseman Ike Davis and former major-league pitcher Jason Marquis. Reliever Craig Breslow, who reinvented his delivery to earn a minor-league deal with the Minnesota Twins, also cracked the roster.
15. China
Bruce Chen, who went 44-33 with the Kansas City Royals from 2010-2013, is China's lone player with extensive major-league experience. While the sport continues to grow in the country, don't expect much in this tournament.
16. Australia
Australia gets the dreaded final spot in the rankings thanks almost entirely to its egregious WBC record (1-8 since 2003). Pitchers Liam Hendriks, Peter Moylan, and Ryan Rowland-Smith, however, boast major-league experience.